Ducey elevates Maricopa County judge to appellate court

PHOENIX (AP) — Gov. Doug Ducey is elevating a Democratic Maricopa County judge to the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Ducey announced the appointment of David Gass on Friday.

Gass was an attorney at the Phoenix firm Lewis & Roca, an assistant attorney general and a lawyer for the state House Democrats. He was appointed a decade ago to the Maricopa County Superior Court by then-Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano.

Gass replaces James Beene, whom Ducey appointed to the Supreme Court earlier this year.

Ducey's appointment of a Democratic appellate judge comes as the Republican governor faces criticism for his picks for the Arizona Supreme Court, who have all been conservative men.